SENATOR BOXER VISITS EISENHOWER

Views Power Plant and Green Machine

On April 10, California Senator Barbara Boxer and her guest, Illinois Senator Richard Durbin, visited Eisenhower Medical Center to view Eisenhower’s ongoing environmental and energy efficiency initiatives. The Senators toured the Central Plant which received a Merit Award for Engineering Excellence in 2006. In addition to producing the majority of power used by the Medical Center, which results in an annual savings of $200,000 to $300,000, the plant utilizes residual heat from the generators to produce steam for sterilization and heating, and to power the absorption chillers for the hospital air conditioning system.

Senator Boxer and Senator Durbin also viewed the Green Machine, a new technology that reduces medical waste volume up to 80 percent. Using the Green Machine, Eisenhower can process most of its waste onsite, decreasing the amount of waste sent to landfills, and reducing its carbon footprint and waste management costs. According to Ali Tourkaman, Vice President of Facilities and Construction, the $750,000 Green Machine will pay for itself within two years and save an additional $200,000 annually.

“If you’re efficient with your energy, if you’re efficient with your waste, you’re saving money that you can put into your patient care,” says Senator Boxer. Senator Boxer added that as a Coachella Valley resident, she was proud of Eisenhower’s role as a leader in energy efficiency.